Judge: "Lawyers and Prosecutors are not Equal, This is not the USA"

The internet news portal Oda TV is being sued in relation with a photograph published that shows judges and prosecutors of the Beşiktaş (Istanbul) Courthouse at an evening meal during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, together with chiefs of police of the Istanbul Police. This trial is not linked to the recent police raid on the office of the Oda TV website.

As reported by the Turkish news site NTVMSNBC.com, the Wednesday (9 February) hearing of the case was dominated by a dispute between the court board and the defence lawyers.

Oda TV News Director Barış Terkoğlu stated to his defence that the photograph had been newsworthy.  Terkoğlu is a detained defendant in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation, a probe into a clandestine organization charged with the attempt to overthrow the government. He said that a dinner before the start of the Ergenekon trial attended by both chiefs of police and persons who were going to handle that trial was an issue of public criticism and that it would lead to wrong perceptions.

At this week's hearing, the joint attorneys criticized, "Why do judges and prosecutors go out for dinner together with policemen as well as with lawyers?" Thereupon, the Court President answered, "No judge would ever have dinner together with a somniferous lawyer". When he was about to define the term "somniferous lawyer", the defence lawyers rose from their seats and voiced their protest.

As an answer, the Court President referred to the differences between the Turkish and the US American judicial system. "We are not like the American judicial system. The prosecutors and judges are working together because the prosecutors gather evidence in favour or against the defendant according to the circumstances. Therefore, it is wrong to think that the lawyers and the prosecutors are on an even level regarding their relation to the court board. This is not America".

The next hearing is scheduled for 17 August. (EÖ/VK)

Source: NTVMSNBC.com